Midnight Sun
by Nora Mutao Frost
Summary: Zareth AU: Dareth, Zane, and Inky hid for a few months in the woods. They thought they'd be fine but they were found...but by who?
1. Chapter 1

**_Authors Notes: I love this part :D Its incredibly awesome and I hope you like it too. Once again this is BOOK 3. If you haven't read Book 1 or 2 yet this won't make any sense at all. Start with Unready Guardian._**

 ** _Zareth belongs to Grumpy-Zane_**

 ** _Danny and Inky belong to me._**

 ** _Ninjago belongs to Lego!_**

* * *

 ** _Midnight Sun_**

 ** _Fragmented Code_**

 ** _Chapter 20_**

 ** _Spring_**

Looking at the stars in the woods at night looks amazing. Inky lay on her back looking up through the trees. They had been hiding in this one spot for over 3 months now. It was an old broken down house. It had to have been there without someone for at least 10 years before they found it. It needed to be fixed up and she liked it. It was quiet, you could see the wildlife flourish all around you, and her personal favorite the sky was so clear at night. Sadly she hadn't touched a bit of paper for months so she was starting to pull of bit pieces of bark to draw on. Just little things to pass the time when she wasn't doing her chores. Apparently having a building like this meant you had to do a lot of work.

"Inky! Where's that water? We need it for dinner!" Zane called from the house. Inky giggled and stood up. It was the eve of her birthday and she would soon be fifteen.

Inky picked up the bucket and ran off toward the spring. Filling the bucket and running back toward the house where her bare feet padded against the ground. Actually she hadn't had any shoes since she left that house sometime ago.

Zane smiled down at her as she handed him the bucket. He poured it into a wash bin and looked at her. He chuckled softly reaching over pulling a leaf from her hair. It was at least down to her shoulders now. She could probably get them into pigtails again. But she didn't have much string left to do anything. There wa a small town not to far from them where they at least get there meats and grains. Dareth worked there in a market selling apples, ginger, and sassafras. She loved the smell of it. They found a lot of it in the woods they stayed in now. A lot of the people either pay for the stuff or trade. Now only if they would trade for a pair of shoes. She spent most of the winter sitting on her father's lap in the shop trying to stay warm. He was an excellent heat source, but it's beginning to look weird for a teenager to sit on her father's lap.

Inky sighed and looked up at Zane for a few second as he put the now clean rice into the pot for boiling.

"What is on your mind Inky?" Zane asked. Inky shook her head.

"It sucks growing up." She said walking into the kitchen. Zane looked into the living room area where there was a small fire glowing lighting up the room for them. It changed everything into a orange hue and the soft flicker made everything look like it was moving around. The nights were still kind of cold, but it was quickly beginning to warm up. Dareth walked out of the bathroom with his hair wet having just took a bath. Inky ran over to him as he sat down she took the comb and started to comb his hair like he liked.

Across the room there was a small lump on the futon. Danny's form lay under the blankets. Dareth and Zane figured her form would to a bit better if it weren't so cooped up in the luggage all the time and cleaned her up, redressed her, and put her under the blankets for a little while once in a while. Inky hated to look at her actually. She had given up a long time ago. She knew that now that winter was over they'd be continuing on their journey to find some observatory.

Inky gasped feeling Dareths hands close around her hand. She dropped the comb to the floor not realizing she had stopped combing Dareths hair.

"Baby...you okay? You look like a dog about to attack someone. What's got you so angry?" Dareth pulled her down so she could talk to him. Inky bit her lip and tried her best to word what she was thinking. She had bottled it all up inside her. She wasn't totally sure if she should say anything after all. She was her mother after all. But she was still mad at her.

"She left us."

"She saved us." Zane corrected her bringing in a plate of meat, veggies, and rice. Inky scooted over so her father could have elbow room to eat. Spooning some rice into a bowl and passing it to him.

"Inky I know looking for her has been well...fruitless...the only one who had any sort of answers was at that observatory. Moreover the woman we were talking to was Zareths own great grandchild, your grandmother. For his sake. We should at last check to see if she's alright." Zane said sipping some tea. He would eat occasionally if there wasn't any oil to be had.

"What about mom?"

"There is no option with that Splat. She comes with us...we'll get her back...we have to get her back." Dareth said biting into the pork. He could taste the ginger in it as well as the mint. But it was just a light flavor.

Inky lay in bed looking out the crack in the window. She couldn't sleep. There was so much going on in her head at the moment.

A light in the corner of the window. Only for a second. She sat up and looked around again. It was gone. She didn't hear any footsteps no matter how hard she listened. She looked from one window to the next for at least five minutes till she saw it again. She looked around at her dad who was literally hugging Zanes arm to him and drooling on his shoulder. She rolled her eyes and sat up walking quietly through the house.

'I should wake them…' She thought to herself as she ran, but she never stopped. Not once did she look back. If this was her Uncle Cryptor again...even if he was a bad person she missed him. Oh she did.

"Hello?" She called out then saw the light stop for a moment then the light began to quicken its pase.

Inky gave chase. She wasn't totally sure where she was going, or how to get back. But this person was sniffing around there house for some reason and might have stole something. So here she was chasing a light. The person holding the light fell and jumped into some bushes. This was where the spring was that she used every day. So she watched as the person ran into the clearing.

"Stop!" Her eyes locked onto the person. It wasn't a light at all. Actually they were…

"Damn it Inky...your legs have gotten so long I can't outrun you anymore." They were wings. For there in front of her, was none other than Danny.


	2. Chapter 2

**_Authors Notes: Hope you all that celebrated thanksgiving had a good one._**

 ** _Please read and review_**

* * *

 ** _Midnight Sun_**

 ** _Fractured Code_**

 ** _Chapter 21_**

 ** _Little More?_**

The colors that adorned her mothers wings caused the whole lagoon to become shadowed in her colors. They seemed to fluctuate in the moonlight. Inky looked on at her mother, it looked like she was still her at least, except her skin looked normal rather then nindroid. Well that did make sense right? She always wanted normal skin. Danny stood there in regular jeans, a regular blue t shirt without anything on it, and no shoes. Her hair was just as yellow as it was before and those stupid wings that took her away.

Inky had to close her eyes and look away. She balled up her fists trying her hardest not to cry. Here she was, still alive. Why didn't she...she felt warm hands on her cheeks. She looked at her mother who was just as tall as she was. Her thumb running over her cheek to wipe away the tear that had escaped her walls that she had built up for so long.

"Your a jerk allowed." Inky breathed out almost too afraid to say it.

"I know." She whispered back. She didn't continue though. She was ready for whatever Inky said, because she herself believed it to be true.

"Why would you…" She took a labored breath and just threw her arms around her mother and cried. She wasn't totally sure if she cared about the answer anymore. She was there right?

"I had to stay hidden, fight off whatever came. I wanted you to grow up without the worries that plagued you Inky. They keep coming, they know your here. I've been beside you the whole time." Danny pulled her away looking at her. "Guardian Angel, yeah?" She asked. Inky just nodded her head and hugged her again.

"They miss you so much mom. They think something at this...Observatory will get you back." Inky said. This seemed to baffle Danny. Danny thought about it for a second.

"Who?"

"Someone named Angela." Danny held Inky at arms length. Inky looked a little standoffish.

"Thats...impossible. Angela...died...well then again...hum." She tapped her chin and sat down on the rocks. "Well...when I was still very young my father left my 'mother' and went to berchwood with mine, Zanes, and Echos hard drives. She wasn't a very good woman and it was her that killed her sister and created her nindroid clone. So maybe she created another her to...carry on while she was gone." She sighed and ran her hand down her face. "But the observatory a huge black case? I…" She shook her head and looked at Inky. "No idea."

Inky shrugged her shoulders dipping her feet into the water. She turned and looked at Danny. She seemed so much more confident then she was before.

"How?" Inky asked. Danny gave Inky this crooked smile she should have only inherited from Zareth.

"Underground facility under ninjago city?" Danny said with as much of a joking sarcasm as she could. Inky blinked and looked at Danny.

"Mom…" She turned back around. "Your not joking...are you?" Danny let off a sigh.

"No...I'm not." Inkys shoulders slumped and she looked deep in thought again. "Inky I…"

"Do you still...want me?" The last word was spoken as quietly as she could. Almost as if the answer very well could kill her. Which was true, that would cause her to go into full despair. Her own mother not wanting her.

"Nina Darzuski...you and your father are all I have ever wanted. I fought to come back to life fast enough to insure that you and your uncles could get to you in time. I had to blow up a gas station to do it, but they got away. Nearly blew my cover that day." Danny said. She gasped hearing a shout coming from the house.

"What have you done to my Inky!" It was Zareth. Danny turned and squinted her eyes. There was a red glow coming from it.

"Crap…" Danny jumped up. "Stay here." She ran toward the small house Inky had called home for three months now.

Zareth growled at Cryptor his eyes were a causing the whole room to turn red. The first thing he noticed was that Dannys body was in his arms. The second thing he noticed that Inky was gone. Furiously he jumped forward at Cryptor.

"What have you done to my Inky?!" The doll fell to the floor, forgotten. The jaw cracked, but Zareth didn't seem to care.

"I have done nothing to your Inky!" He yelled swatting Zareth away from him. The swat caused Zareth to fall over the fire pit causing a fire to erupt in the flat. The bamboo floorboards caught quickly. Zareth stood up ready to fight when all he saw was glass, and metal begin to fight. Danny was on Cryptors back pulling the plating and wires and cloth from it. The look on her face was of pure murder. Zareth watched as if from a far off dream.

"Danny…?" He breathed out unable to say it properly. He stepped forward trying to get to her, but the flames were licking the ceiling. He felt someones arms around him. He turned to see Inky. He was pulled into the kitchen and out the back door. "What...what happened?" Zareth continued to watch the dream he was having. Things were going in slow motion. He couldn't understand it. His processor couldn't take it. Was he seeing Danny? His Danny? He took a labored breath seeing there house up in flames. He could see Inky trying to talk to him, yelling at him. But he couldn't move, what was going on?

There was a shadow coming from the building dragging something heavy. Danny stopped just short of them dropping Cryptors steaming body to the ground. Most of his back ripped out. Zareth however didn't seem to take notice that Danny beat the hell out of someone he couldn't.

"Hello Zareth." She said with a smile. Her wings folded up and disappeared into her back.

Zareth stepped forward slowly, reaching out, running his fingers along her jawline, along her hair. Almost trying to see if she was real. He leaned forward putting his forehead to hers. Picking her up and hugging her to him.

"Hello yourself...my Dannygirl."


	3. Chapter 3

**_Authors Notes: I'm just going to do a huge massive chapter dump today which will conclude the Zareth AU._**

 ** _Please Read and Review. You don't have to do it right away. Wait till the last chapter...because theirs a question that will be asked thats very very important._**

* * *

 ** _Midnight Sun_**

 ** _Fractured Code_**

 ** _Chapter 22_**

 _ **Ghra'** _

Dareth lay with one arm tucked under his head. His eyes watched the sight before him. Danny lay with Inky in her arms. She was incredibly tired after what happened. Danny ended up taking them to an old hollowed out cave that was remanence of an old hunting cabin that had fallen into disrepair. She had been staying there. Both girls lay sleeping soundly. Dareths arm around both of them. Pulling them closer if possible. Zane slept on the other side of Inky as usual to ensure that no accidental fusions happen. Although he was sure Zareth wouldn't mind coming back out and cuddle again, but the emotional state of him wouldn't last and they'd end up unfusing all over again.

Here she was though, right before there very eyes, alive, safe, and in perfect condition. She never answered how it happened. Actually she sat with Inky since she looked very emotional at the fact that she was there. Like it was a traumatic experience for her. She was starting to believe her mother wasn't coming back. She was starting to think she was dead. She hated herself for that. So Danny did the only thing she knew to do. She held her and didn't let go till Inky wanted to. They fell asleep that way. Dareth didn't mind that one bit. They had the rest of there lives together. Let Inky get her fill first, she was there first priority after all.

"Dareth...aren't you going to sleep?" Zanes voice asked his eyes illuminating the room. Dareth shook his head.

"I'm afraid that if I close my eyes, she'll disappear again. Like all the other times I had dreams about her." He ran his fingers through her hair and smiled. "I never want to sleep again." Dareth whispered. Zane looked at his sister. The one they had been searching for, for almost a year and nine months. Here she was sleeping soundly. On the stony ground of this cave, not inside a box, breathing and not unresponsive. If he were to touch her he was sure she'd wake. His own eyes watered up and he turned over to hide it. Dareth smiled knowing Zane by now having been with him nonestop for years now.

"I think I know where we are though." Dareth said stretching "We'd better get going soon or we'll miss our chance." He said looking around at his females. He leaned down kissing Danny gently. Her eyes fluttered opened and she smiled up at him.

"Now thats something I haven't woke up to in a while." She said wrapping her arms around him. Dareth sighed wanting to sink into her arms and just stay there forever. He'd gladly die that way without any regrets. "Dareth...you lost weight." She said poking his arms and giggled. "You've ever got some muscles."

"Worked in a stock yard for a bit." He said.

"I was a paperboy." Inky said

"Boy!?"

"I was in disguise." She said and stretched. Zane sat up snatching Inky from the middle of the makeshift bed. "Come...lets go look for something to eat. I think I heard a creek nearby." Dareth watched them go leaving the husband and wife together.

Inky looked into the creek seeing the rainbow trout swimming around. They were about the size of her forearm. It wasn't much really. Especially since it was her birthday and all. She had rather hoped that Zane would make some Mochi, but now they were out here and couldn't do much other then eat berries, and fish. She reached in and snagged one and threw it into Zanes arms. He smiled at her.

"Perfect." He said having quite a few fish in his jacket that was laying in front of him.

Inky started to walk back to the cave when she realized something. She threw off her shoes and her shirt before climbing into the water. Zane just shook his head understanding humans need to bathe. Himself being a nindroid he didn't have to bathe as much.

"Hurry Inky!" Zane called. Inky called back.

"Its summer Uncle Zane at least I won't freeze to death." She called back.

"Yes but autumn is right around the corner. So please hurry." He said and dodged when a pair of pants flew over the bush and landed on the mossy floor. "Inky!" Loud laughter was what he got.


	4. Chapter 4

_Midnight Sun_

 _Fractured Code_

 _Chapter 23_

 _Heart to Heart_

The click of heels echoed down the stone steps. The purple eyes glowing in the room as the woman walked over to a chained up short nindroid. His red optics slowly onlined and looked up at her. A low whistle echoed within the room.

"I'm afraid that annoyingly useless general of yours has failed me...again." Gaya purred grabbing Mindroids face. "You are...just as annoying. If you still didn't have a use I'd have killed you long ago. How you broke free of my virus...I have no clue, but I can't have you going off and helping anyone else out." She pulled his jaw up toward her face.

"Inky…?" The weak voice asked. Gaya growled and shook her head.

"She's...going to die. There's nothing you can do about it nindroid pawn. I will have her blood." Mindroid shook his head trying so hard to break her hold on his face. Gaya smiled and kissed his cheek.

"She'll come for you once she discovers your free'd from my control. You...are her family." Gaya let go of him letting him drop back down to the ground. Mindroid gasped seeing a small jar of oil fall to the ground. He grabbed for it and held it to himself like his life depended on it. It kind of did. He was 'gifted' these once a week. He put his forehead to the floor a mark of thank you since she couldn't really understand droid and every time he spoke in it he tended to get hit.

"Danny is finally with them." Mindroid looked up at her a questioning look on his face.

"Don't worry about how I know...just...drink your oil and be grateful I don't kill you little robot." She turned to walk out again. Angela stood at the top of the stairs.

"There's no doubt about it...these claw marks are hornet. They sliced from Cryptors Titanium shell like it was butter." Angela pointed to the back panels of the poor General who was breathing hard as he sat down on the stool.

"Can you repair him?"

"He's repaired himself." Angela moved the cloak out of the way.

"How?" Gaya asked. Angela looked up at Cryptor.

"You heard your leader. How did you fix yourself?" Angela yelled her hands on her hips. Gaya walked onto the other side of Cryptor to look him in the optics.

"I see…" The look Cryptor gave her was blank and full of hatred. "The hornets found you."

"They are fighting with us. The ones that survived that are being commanded by that damned Danny." Gaya threw a chair off to the side. "I want them found! Now! I want them dead. All of them!" Gaya's yells echoed off the stone walls. "And throw this...thing...into the room with his little...friend." She growled and looked around at Angela.

"I want the room...completed. I want to play with Zareth...the bane of my eternal existence." She turned to look at Kade. He jumped and looked around the room.

"I uh...yes ma'me?"

"You said you wanted revenge on him right?"

"Yeah he killed my brothers...and Kathrines too. Been wanting to get my hands around his throat for some time." Kade said looking back around at Haley who nodded her head.

"Hey wasn't good to me either...but now this Danny and Inky got him wrapped around there fucking fingers. What do they have that I don't?" She was obviously mad about it.

"Bring him here...alive. I'll show you what pain really is. Long...insanity causing...pain." She looked at an old faded painting on the wall. "I killed her long ago...so long ago. I was sure she couldn't possibly kill me. The one...the only master that can kill me. Duck...your descendants...will not touch me.

(0)

"Dad my feet hurt!" Inky complained from the back. Zane walked behind her and started to push her forward. Inky grumbled but moved faster up the hill.

"Almost there kiddo. Just a bit more." Dareth called behind him. Danny held his hand as they walked. He just wanted constant contact and it really really mattered to them both. She looked around at Inky and smiled.

"Dareth says he's got a place up ahead." She said. Although she didn't recall him having a place in this particular town. Well unless it was recent. They stopped at an old farm house that had to have been so overgrown it had been empty for twenty years. Dareth pulled out a small key from his pocket. She knew that key very well having taken it out of his pocket many times to wash his pants but never talked about it.

The door creaked open really spookily. Dareth motioned for the others to stay there. Zane pulled Danny to him and shielded them. That wasn't something Danny was used to anymore. Actually she was very scared to be honest.

"Mom...Dad?" He called. There wasn't a reply, actually no one seemed to be home at all. Dareth came back shrugging his shoulders. " No one seems to have been home for some years." He said. Danny looked amazed up at him.

"You never speak of your parents, much less came here."

"Yeah dad kicked me out when I was a teenager. Ran of With Lou Brookstone and his band for a bit. Then I just...got jobs wherever I could. Opened my own Dojo." He said shrugging his shoulders. " Danny felt like there was more to it then just that. There was something he...and Zareth had hidden from her for some time. She looked in very quietly looking around the room. She didn't go anymore then that. She felt like she was intruding. She looked up at Dareth waiting for permission to make it anymore.

"Danny I…"

"It's understandable." She said looking back down. "I'll sleep on the couch." She said walking around to the other side of the couch. Dareths heart hit the floor. It was the zippo thing all over again. If they left the house he was sure the place would burn.

"I didn't tell you...because I didn't want to talk about it. My parents and I didn't get along. I...didn't want to be reminded of something I wanted to forget." He reached out taking her hand. "Especially now that I had a life worth remembering." He walked her toward the back of the house and opened a door with a sticker on it for 'ACDC, and Van Halen.' He opened the door so she could see a bunk bed. She looked confused about that.

"Why a bunk bed? Did you have a sibling?"

"I was...a twin. He died in the womb." He said. Danny looked amazed at him looking at the comic books in the corner. Drawers overturned like someone left in anger or a hurry. She smiled seeing a picture on the small desk.

"Inky look…" Inky peeked into the room and smiled.

"Oh my gosh dad...you were such a nerd." She joked and hugged him. Dareth just chuckled and walked out of the room.

"It looks like the place had been...emptied before it was vacant." Zane informed them looking into the fridge. "There seems to be nothing here."

"We'll have to go to the store." Danny said and gasped when her stomach grumbled. She didn't eat the fish from earlier. Danny hated fish. Danny smiled up at Dareth.

"Potstickers?"

"Yes!" Dareth threw his arms in the air.


End file.
